HOMEGROWN ROCKER 2/19/12

[Jim Price]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the recap of the February 19 edition of Rocky 104.9 and Rocky 99's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 8 to 10 PM on WRKY-FM (www.rocky1049.com) and WRKW-FM (www.rocky99.com).

With no guests scheduled for this week, we took another opportunity to empty the “Homegrown Rocker” mailboxes and explore some of the new local and regional recordings that have arrived in recent weeks. We debuted plenty of new tunes in a wide variety of flavors, from Full Kilt, Mason Porter, Rob Putt, Distortion Of Events, The Arts, Bushmaster, Bill Hunt, Fist Fight In The Parking Lot and Synesthesia. We also updated “Local Music News,” dug a requested 2002 song by Altoona’s Ten Sent Wings from the archive for a “Local Music Flashback,” ventured “Across State Lines” to check out a song by Virginia rockers Cerca Trova, and reviewed Pure Cane Sugar’s Come Back Home CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner.”

Here is this week's playlist:

HOUR ONE:

HELLO, VIXEN – “Grandpa’s Medicine”
VISION TO NONE – “Keep Your Friends Close”
FULL KILT – “Come Have a Drink with the Band”
MASON PORTER – “Spike Driver Blues”
ROB PUTT – “Yesteryears”
JEN BERTIAUX – “Paper Boy”
DISTORTION OF EVENTS – “Deadface”
THE ARTS – “March of the Robots”

HOUR TWO:

FELIX & THE HURRICANES – “Free”
BUSHMASTER – “River Flow – Splash!”
BILL HUNT – “I’m On Your Side”
PURE CANE SUGAR – “No Regard”
FIST FIGHT IN THE PARKING LOT – “Side Steppin’ Ninja”
TEN SENT WINGS – “On and On” (2002, Local Music Flashback)
CERCA TROVA – “Now I Hold Fast” (Across State Lines)
SYNESTHESIA – “My Enemy”
THE EMBALMED – “Coming Black Winter”
MOSE GIGANTICUS – “The Left Path”

On our next show, we will recap the 16th annual Millennium Music Conference, which took place this past weekend (Feb. 16-19) in the Harrisburg area. We will feature comments from some of the nearly 300 bands and artists who performed, plus hear music from many of these artists! We’ll also update “Local Music News,” dig into the archive for another “Local Music Flashback,” and review Shift Seven’s Love Lust CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner!” We give you the scoop on this year’s Millennium Music Conference on the “Homegrown Rocker,” next Sunday night!

Upcoming guests and specials include:

MAR. 4 – MOUNTAIN ROAD (MMC16 CONTEST WINNER)
MAR. 18 – ST. PATTY’S DAY SPECIAL
MAR. 25 – MEDIKADED
MAY 13 – RON GALLUCCI

For regular updates on what is happening on the area music scene, pay a visit to Rockpage (www.rockpage.net). Rockpage features band links, a message board, "Homegrown Rocker" updates, live show and CD reviews in “JP’s Corner," and other local music scene information.

Bands and artists interested in having music aired on "The Homegrown Rocker" are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: WRKY Radio, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; ATTN: Jim Price. Or drop the recordings off at the station during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. You can also email me with inquiries about the show at profjp@rocky1049.com.

Jim Price

In Local Music News…

The complete entertainment line-up has been announced for next Saturday’s Giggity Days Benefit for John Dibello, which takes place at Madhatters in St. Boniface. Joe Konior and Alicia Hritsko kick off the music at 12 noon, followed by performances by Big Soul, Forever On Holiday, Bob Helbig, Joan & John, Punk Fiction, Kenny Karlheim, Tom “Ying” Yannitelli, Acoustic Stew, the Madhatters Jam Band and Felix & the Hurricanes. There will also be a basket auction and dinner. Proceeds from the benefit will help out John Dibello with his medical expenses.

The line-up has also been finalized for the “A Promise for Patti Family Benefit,” happening at Pellegrine’s on March 11. Proceeds will help out the surviving family of Patti J. Miller, who lost her life in a recent automobile accident. The benefit will begin at 1 p.m., and feature performances from The Hawks Blues Band, Mr. Dasch & Harmonica Dave with The Professor, Phil McCaulley, E.V.K., Ambush, Fred Myers & the Redneck Majority, Screaming Ugly, The Sitch, Lies, Inc., Johnny Danger and Fore Day Creep. Donation at the door will be $5.

Johnstown singer/songwriter Mike Vavrek will be releasing a new album next month. The album, Buttons & Threads, will be released nationally through Tate Music Group on March 6. Mike has also co-founded the Reflections Foundation, which provides aspiring artists of all mediums the ability to collaborate with professional artists to create art in various forms.